Coming soon to Cougar Field: the largest scoreboard in college baseball.

The school said Wednesday that Daktronics will design, manufacture and install a new LED video display – to be named Sanders-Gutierrez Scoreboard – in right-center field at Cougar Field.

The new video board will measure roughly 27.5 feet high by more than 55 feet wide and provide more than 1,500 square feet of space for live video, instant replay and statistics, according to information provided by Daktronics. The display features a 15HD pixel layout.

It will measure twice as tall and more than three times as wide as the current scoreboard at Cougar Field. Similar technology is used at Minute Maid Park.

“The addition of Sanders-Gutierrez Scoreboard at Cougar Field will immediately elevate the gameday experience for our fans and players to the highest level,” UH coach Todd Whitting said. “The completion of this project will keep us on track in regards to the ongoing master plan to upgrade Cougar Field. We are very grateful for the generosity of Don Sanders, Joe Gutierrez, The Houston Cougar Foundation, John Clarke, Roy Barrett and members of the Baseball Coaches Committee for their support of this project.”

An installation date has not been set. In February, Whitting estimated the video board would cost about $750,000.

The scoreboard is the latest upgrade for Cougar Field, which has undergone renovations to the clubhouse, bullpen areas and last season made the switch to a synthetic turf.

“We’re excited and grateful for the opportunity given to us by the University of Houston,” Daktronics sales representative Dan Fjeldheim said. “Bringing this technology to the baseball field will give Cougar fans another level of excitement and enthusiasm at every game. We can’t wait to see the atmosphere once the installation is complete.”

]]>http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2015/04/new-scoreboard-to-be-installed-at-cougar-field/feed/0Rice shuts out Sam Houston State 4-0http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2015/03/rice-shuts-out-sam-houston-state-4-0/
http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2015/03/rice-shuts-out-sam-houston-state-4-0/#commentsWed, 25 Mar 2015 03:52:58 +0000http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/?p=49523HOUSTON – True freshman Tristan Gray blasted a three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning to break a scoreless deadlock and lift the Rice baseball team to a 4-0 victory over visiting Sam Houston State Tuesday evening at Reckling Park.

Gray and his fellow freshman paved the way to Rice’s second-straight win. Owl rookie right-hander Dane Myers made his first collegiate start and was sharp in a pre-determined workload. He pitched a career-long 4.1 innings, allowing just one hit and a pair of walks while striking out eight batters.

The 4-0 score was more than enough room for the Owls’ third and final pitcher of the night, freshman Glenn Otto. Like Myers to start the game, Otto was in command firing the final 3.0 shutout innings. The newcomer from Spring, Texas, did not allow any hits nor walks while striking out five.

Maxwell, a junior from Vidor, had been experiencing discomfort in his right elbow since the fall. An MRI taken in December did not show any structural damage; a more recent exam showed damage to the ulnar collateral ligament.

He left his last appearance Friday against Columbia after only two pitches.

The loss of Maxwell is a huge blow for the UH pitching staff. In three appearances, Maxwell was 2-0 and had not allowed a run with four strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings.

“It kills me I won’t be able to take the mound again this season, but I love this school, this team, and this game way too much to not be a part of this special season,” Maxwell posted on Instagram.

Whitting said Patrick Weigel, Jared Robinson and Seth Romero are candidates to fill the role, or the Cougars may go with a closer-by-committee approach.

“We’ve got to find somebody to step in that role,” Whitting said.

The Cougars, which dropped five spots to eighth in this year’s Baseball America poll, managed only five singles off Curtis Jones and Chris Garza in a 2-1 loss to Houston Baptist on Tuesday night. It was UH’s fifth loss in the last seven games.

The Cougars are also without third baseman Connor Hollis (broken hamate bone) and left fielder Michael Pyeatt (ankle). Hollis is expected to return in the next two weeks while Pyeatt is out indefinitely.

• In his debut, freshman shortstop Connor Wong went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs.
• Designated hitter Chris Iriart, a transfer from Orange Coast College, was 2-for-4 with a home run and RBI.
• Catcher Ian Rice, a transfer from Chipola College, went 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBIs.
• Sophomore third baseman Connor Hollis went 2-for-4 and scored three runs.
• Right-hander Andrew Lantrip allowed one hit and struck out five in five innings.
• Right-hander Kyle Dowdy threw three scoreless innings in relief.

Rice baseball titles through the years

Rice is the unanimous pick to win the Conference USA baseball title in a vote of the league’s coaches released Wednesday.

The Owls received all 12 votes to outdistance second-place Florida International. Old Dominion, Southern Miss and UTSA round out the top 5.

Rice swept the two individual preseason honors as catcher John Clay Reeves was named C-USA player of the year and Blake Fox tabbed pitcher of the year. Fox, a junior left-hander, is 18-0 in his collegiate career.

The Owls have won at least share of the C-USA title in each of the nine seasons in the league and have a streak of 19 consecutive titles dating back to 1996.